Scalloped Lace Picture Frame

Create a beautiful etched border around pictures using a craft punch and vinyl masking

You can use almost any kind of punch you like, but ones that are not too intricate work best with the vinyl. We fell in love with this scalloped lace border punch, which is fancy, but still punches the vinyl easily and frames in this vintage looking print nicely.

4. Lay a towel down on your work surface to keep the piece of glass from getting scuffed up and from sliding around the table while you are working on it.

5. Lay the glass and mat sandwich in front of you with the long side right to left.

6. Clean the glass with glass cleaner

7. Place the mat face up. Lay the glass on top of the mat and tape the two together at the corners.

8. You will be applying the strips to the glass with the scallop edge facing toward the outside (see picture). The strip is longer than you need so you can adjust where the strip should go so the scallops will fall evenly in the corners.

9. Peel off the backing from one of the 10 inch strips. Hold it with the straight edge at the top and the scallop edge at the bottom. Look through the glass for the mat openings edge. Center the strip and try to get it so there is a full scallop at each corner (or as close as possible) where the strips will meet. Lay the strip down using the edge of the mat opening as your guide.
Repeat with the other long edge, keeping the scallops in line with the other side so they start and end in the same place.

10. Next, take one of the short strips and dry fit the ends of the strip by cutting away some of the stencil material behind the scallop on the end at the corner already on the glass and the one you will be laying down next. Nip away at any vinyl that is blocking any of the punched holes. When you have both strips fitted nicely, apply the side strips to the glass, following the mat opening edge. You should have a rectangular frame in the middle of the glass (see finished picture)

11. Cover the center of the glass with either strips of masking tape or with a rectangle of vinyl and then sealing down the edges with tape.

12. Remove the mat from under the glass and remove the tape that was holding the two pieces together. Clean the glass around the perimeter that will be etched by spraying glass cleaner onto a paper towel and wiping gently. Do not spray the glass cleaner directly onto the glass, it may cause some of the vinyl to lift. Wipe gently over the scalloped edge to avoid lifting or dinging the vinyl.

13. Put on your rubber gloves. Take the sponge brush and dip it in the Etch Cream. The brush should be full, but not dripping. PAT the cream onto the perimeter of the glass straight up and down, using the flat side of the sponge. DO NOT BRUSH STROKE like your painting. This will give a streaky finish. Reload the brush as needed until the entire perimeter is completely covered in a quarter inch thickness of Etch Cream. Wait 5 minutes

14. Rinse off all the etch cream under running water until the cream is no longer visible. Peel off all the vinyl and tape, then rinse again. Dry the glass well.

14. Re-assemble the glass and mat in the frame. Add the desired picture or artwork. Beautiful!